Background

Although body fat patterning has been related to adverse health outcomes in adults, its importance in children and adolescents is less certain.

Objective

We examined the relation of circumference (waist and hip) and skinfold-thickness (subscapular and triceps) measurements to lipid and insulin concentrations among 2996 children and adolescents aged 5-17 y. Design : This was a community-based, cross-sectional study conducted in 1992-1994.

Results

A central or abdominal distribution of body fat was related to adverse concentrations of triacylglycerol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and insulin : these associations were independent of race, sex, age, weight, and height.

Compared with a child at the 10th percentile of waist circumference, a child at the 90th percentile was estimated to have, on average, higher concentrations of LDL cholesterol (0.17 mmol/L). triacylglycerol (0.11 mmol/L), and insulin (6 pmol/L) and lower concentrations of HDL cholesterol (-0.07 mmol/L).

These differences, which were independent of weight and height, were significant at the 0.001 level and were consistent across race-sex groups. (...)